fortune, truth, and faith in the new china." you are in washington now. how long do you expect to stay here with the new yorker in this town? >> we will be here for a few years. it takes a while to find your way around. >> you want to go back to china? >> eventually. >> evan osnos, thank you. we are out of time. ♪ >> for free transcripts or to give us your comments about this program, visit us at q-and-a.org. "q&a" programs are also available as c-span podcasts. [captions copyright national c-span's newest book, "sundays at eight," a collection

of interviews with the nations top storytellers. >> in my case, i came in with no toumentation and no ability get a job or an education. when i first came into the united states in the late 1980's, across the border between mexico and united states the san joaquin valley as a migrant farm worker. there is no challenge to find a job. there are not thousands of get the jobs to like pulling weeds with my own hands. the same hands that i now use as a brain surgeon. eight,"n's "sundays at now available at your favorite bookseller.

>> next, british prime minister david cameron taking questions in the house of commons. a house hearing on the state of college athletics. >> on the next "washington journal," david hawking's looks history of select committees. russell rambaugh -- "washington journal," live at 7:00 a.m. eastern on c-span. week, question time this bridge prime minister david cameron calls kidnapping of hundreds of nigerian schoolgirls u.k.evil, and says the

would offer any assistance necessary to nigeria. this is just over 35 minutes. prime minister. >> thank you, minister. thisdition to my duties in house, i shall have further such meetings later today. >> thank you, mr. speaker. i am the proud father of three daughters. i'm sure that the entire house will share my deep concern for the more than 270 nigerian schoolgirls held captive in that country. the only so-called crime which -- was that they wanted to receive an education.

>> i know that my honorable friend speaks for the whole house and indeed the whole country. i am the father of two young daughters, and my reaction is exactly the same as his and every father or mother in this landlord in the world. .is is an active your evil it is united people across the planet to stand with nigeria to help find these children and return them to their parents. government has made repeated offers of help to the nigerian government since the girls were seized. i will be speaking to the nigerian president this afternoon. written stands ready to provide any assistance, working very closely with the u.s. we arty have a training team in nigeria. the foreign office of counterterrorism experts -- and we should be proud of the role we play in a country where british aid is helping educate

several hundred thousand nigerian children. this is not just a nigerian issue, it is a club will issue. there are extreme islamists .round the world we must take this fight to them wherever they are. by begin bygin matching my remarks to those of the prime minister. can the prime minister tell us when he expects to make the inevitable journey from saying they represent dangerous venezuelan style thinking to saying it is actually quite a good idea? >> i haven't had the time to , but i'm proposals sure he will be able to lay them out. >> let me be clear about my view. tothere is an opportunity

give greater stability, a proposal made at last year's then iative conference, am sure we can work together. but if the proposal is for rent controls that have been tried all over the world, including in britain, and have been shown to fail, i think that is a bad idea. standards, is a pretty quick u-turn, mr. speaker. , the chairman of the was sayinge party this is all back to venezuela. indeed, the community secretaries have supported this proposal. the question is, how are we going to make it happen? >> i had a really good briefing on these proposals from labour mps. here they are.

let's start with labor's housing minister. you'd think she would support labor's policy. she says, i do not think it will work in practice. moving over to the department for local government. they say this. we do not want to move to rental control. voice.hentic the next member said this. we concluded that rent control was not feasible. bor politics a la that is not sure what it is. but one thing is clear, labour mps do not back it. >> order. i know it has to be said every week. i'm very happy to say it again. , theer long it takes

question will be heard, and the answer will be heard. it is incredibly simple. no idea about this incredibly important issue facing our country. let me explain. there are 9 million people renting in this country. our proposal is to say the should be fixed three-year tendencies as a norm for those people with predictable rent changes, right? that is the proposal. many people across this country for the first time the party addressing the issue they face. can he explain what is wrong with going from one year tendencies with unpredictable rent rises to three your tendencies with addictive all right? why has the conservative party given up on millions of people who are generation rent? >> we want to build more houses so we have a better rental

sector with more affordable rent. in my very first answer, if this is about finding your tendencies that give long-term security on a voluntary basis, yes. if it is about mandating rent controls for the center and destroying the housing market, no. the problem i have with so many of these policies is they all come from the same place. they come from that unite union. they want to re-nationalize the railways. he wants old-style rent control. the problem with rent control is that the policies are for rent, the candidates are for rent. that is my problem. >> thank you, mr. speaker.

unemployment in my constituency is down by almost a third since we last spoke. however, mr. speaker, the future for almost 1000 workers related to the power station in my constituency is less secure. meet with me to discuss about the future of this asset? >> i'm very happy to meet with my honorable friend. i welcome what he says about the falling unemployment which we are seeing across our country. i know about the problems at the power station and the demand therefore further action as has been agreed. i'm happy to discuss that with him to see what can be done. >> randy slaughter. >> i have to world-class hospitals in my constituency. the secretary of state has that some of it will be

demolished. country -- will the prime minister stop the secretary from putting my constituents lives at risk? >> what we're doing in northwest london is making sure the nhs is getting more money. it is going to be getting 2.4 billion this year, 74 million more than the year before. his own party's policy was to cut the nhs like they are doing in wales. the changes being made in northwest london are backed by local people. we want to see our nhs improve. my friend agree that the uk's policies are based on fear? fear of the world, fear of a greatrs, and as trading nation, we should embrace the world. if anyone comes to my

constituency and goes to hospital or to nursing homes or two farms or to building sites, they will see the great contribution being made to our communities and the growth of our economy by fellow eu citizens. >> my right honorable friend is absolutely right that britain has benefited from being an economy that is open to investment and open to people coming who want to contribute and work hard here. i agree with what he says. so much of their view seems to be that we don't have a bright future in this country. i absolutely believe that we do. be one of that we can the success stories of the 21st century harry and we are making progress and that is the way to challenge their worldview. mr. speaker, there is deep concern in the british scientific community about the proposed takeover of astrazeneca

by pfizer. this could have an impact for decades to come on british jobs, british investment, british exports. the business secretary said yesterday, he is not ruling out intervention. what type of intervention is under consideration by government? >> i actually agree with what the business secretary said. let me be clear, the most important intervention we can make is to back british jobs, , british medicine and british technology. that is why i asked the cabinet secretary and my ministers to engage with both companies from the start of this process. i make no apology for that. we know what happens when you don't engage, when you stand back and just say you're opposed to everything. what you get is abject surrender and no guarantees for britain. we are fighting for british science. think it is a pity he is tried to play politics rather than backing --

>> let me say, first of all, it is good to hear he agrees with the business secretary. the business secretary said this. one of the options will be to consider using our public interest test powers. there needs to be a proper assessment of this bid. minister, the business said he was open to doing this. this can be done straight away through this house and we on this side would support making that happen. will he agree to do it? >> the assessment i want is from the business department. actual affront to the table. i would judge all these things by do they expand british jobs, british science. i'm worried this will be lost in the debate. i know he thinks he is extremely clever, and we all know that --y it britain's benefits

nissan is now producing more cars than the whole of italy. has created 9000 jobs in the west midlands since i have become a minister. vodafone and astrazeneca have benefited from the backing of an open country to go out and build businesses around the world. inward investment into britain of the eu the rest combined. don't let's put that at risk. >> this is simply about something very straightforward, having an independent assessment of this bid, and whether it is in the national interest very don't ask them the question again. inhe ruling out or ruling using the public interest test on this takeover? we can make it happen.

his business secretary could make it happen, and we would support it. if he does not take action now and the bid goes through without proper assessment, everyone will know he was cheerleading for this. , not championing british science and british industry. sad thatk it is deeply the leader of the opposition makes accusations about cheerleading, when what the government was doing was getting stuck in to help british science, british investment in british jobs. you everything that given the choice of doing the right thing for the national interest, working for government, or making short-term political points, that is what he chooses to do? we might ask why the public interest test was changed in the first place. it is when they were sitting in the treasury. throw the rules, is some manufacturing in our country declined by one half third will never take lectures from the

-- le who wrecked our >> will the prime minister confirm that under his leadership this country will ther spend less than recommended minimum of two percent gdp? >> we are spending in excess of two percent. we are one of the only countries in europe that do that. the greeks are spending ahead of two percent, but if i can put it this way, not all the things that are useful for nato we should continue to make sure we fulfill all our commitments in terms of defense spending. >> will the prime minister urgently meet with me and his fellow mps to find a way forward on consultant led maternity services to be run by the university hospitals?

i was very keen to make sure that in spite of all the difficulties of the mid staffs hospital, there was an opportunity to look to see if it were possible to have a way of having consultant led the charity services. people living in our major towns want to be able to have their babies locally. i think it is vitally important that we do that. i'm regularly updated by emerson parl -- by members of parliament for stafford. >> margot james. >> thank you. boston consulting group published research that found britain to be the number one competitive manufacturing country in the whole of western europe. number four globally behind china, the united states and south korea. does my right honorable friend

agree with me that this is just the sort of company we should be keeping? further evidence that our strategy to rebalance the economy towards manufacturing and the west midlands and other regions is working. my honorablel from friend says. for the first time in all most a decade, all three main sectors by at economy have grown least three percent over the last year. i think it is further evidence that the economic plan is working. manufacturing is important in itself here it is also important because much of it is tradable. we want to see britain export more, make more, invest more. the moves in the budget are very much dedicated toward that angle. as i said earlier, we must remain the open economy that will encourage people to invest in our manufacturing base. >> later this week, the opening

the -- will take place in ireland. along with the tour de france, to yorkshire, the world-class sporting events allow us to showcase our region and boost tourism and grow the local economy. with the prime minister agree with me that as we seek to build a more prosperous and better future for all of our people in northern ireland, it is vitally important that the suffering and hurt of the victims is never forgotten? ago or 10 is one year years ago or 42 years ago, justice must be pursued, and the police must be allowed to follow the evidence wherever it may lead. >> first of all, can i agree with the gentleman about the importance of the sporting events, the one he mentioned in northern ireland and of course the tour de france, which will be starting in leaves and will be great for the whole of the united kingdom. i think we should do as much as recant to promote these. we should draw the line at appearing at lycra in these

events. we discussed recently important issue of trying to secure greater assistance from libya is still beingch found in northern ireland. we are proud of the fact that a free country has an independent judiciary, and independent police service. they decide who to arrest, who charge. >> will the prime minister join with me in congratulating public health england in launching a major new campaign to raise awareness and challenge statements -- challenge stigmas. will he ensure that there is a new dementia strategy at the end of this year? the current one ends this year. we want to ensure that people with dementia get the support they need. >> we turned the zero on number 10 into a dementia flower today

to help boost the importance of raising awareness of this issue. look at what he says about the strategy. it is about investing in research and science, where we have doubled the budget for dementia. it is about making sure that our hospitals and care homes better treat people with dementia. we will carry forward all of those. i will write to him about the update to the strategy. >> numerous people are dead in syria. others are dying as we are here today. they need help desperately. we have talked about humanitarian aid. what on earth are we doing about it? >> the answer to what we're doing is that britain is the second largest bilateral aid donor in terms of humanitarian aid going into syria.

we are helping to feed, clothe and house people, both in turkey, a lebanon and elsewhere. aid must go into syria. it is extremely difficult because of the security situation. we will continue to do what we can. >> as we mark the centenary of the first world war, it is a memorials are crumbling and derelict? we want to help restore some of those graves. has the government agreed to match funds? we encourage people to go online, donate and ensure that we are fitting memorials for the bravest of the brave.

>> is certainly join the honorable gentleman who is a patriot of the victoria cross trust. i believe the sun newspaper did a good job of highlighting the importance of this issue. the community secretary has announced funding for the victoria cross. this should go to restoring the graves of the victoria cross recipients. when looking at many other ways to commemorate this absolutely vital anniversary. i think the most important thing ,e're doing is a huge multimillion pound investment going into the imperial more museum which will open this summer. it brings a first world war to life in an extraordinary way. that is at the heart of our important commemoration. >> thank you, mr. speaker. he needs especially adopted bed. say whyprime minister

this government is punishing him for his disability? we have the discretionary housing payments for exactly this sort of case. the money has been topped up, so there's no reason for people to be disadvantaged in the way that she suggest. astrazeneca has 2000 employees. i share my constituents concerns about the pfizer bids. what further debts are being taken to strengthen those commitments and safeguard highly skilled manufacturing jobs in macclesfield? are 2000 people employed by astrazeneca in his constituency. he is quite right to speak up for them. our approach is based on trying to secure the best possible deal in terms of jobs, investment and

science. that is why i believe it is absolutely right to ask the cabinet secretary to engage with pfizer, just as we are engaging with astrazeneca. i do find it extraordinary that we have been criticized for this. commitments that have been made so far, of course there is no offer on the table, the commitments are encouraging in terms of completing the cambridge campus, making sure 20% of the combined company's total r&d workforces in the u.k. going forward, and it specifically mentions substantial commercial manufacturing facilities in macclesfield. it also goes on to say that because of the pension boxer we have introduced, the companies will look at manufacturing more in the u.k.. let me be absolutely clear. i am not satisfied heard i want more. way to get more is to engage, not stand up and play party politics. >> i know the prime minister has raised important issue of mental

health. i thanked him for that. can he explain why since 2011 there is a drop in mental health coverage? >> i think what matters is the quality of provision and parity of esteem between physical health and mental health. we have not solved every problem, but we are put into the nhs constitution and the nhs mandate, robert air t of esteem. we've also put in proper targets for talking therapist that have absolutely vital in terms of mental health. measuring the output of our nhs purely by the number of beds is not a sensible approach. the government is making a substantial investment in renewing and expanding the nations infrastructure. there is however a real need to get more young people into engineering said it they will have the long-term skills base

for these projects. will my right honorable friend assured me that this government will do all it can to supply the next generation of engineers? >> absolutely back to my friend sent. -- said. in what hevital bit said. the key thing about these investments, whether it is crossrail or the olympics are ages two, is the skills that we will need so we can fill those jobs of british people leaving school and college wanting to take on the skills. today, the chancellor and minister for schools have launched the choice campaign which is about encouraging young people to get into stem subjects and stay in stem subject. there's a massive falloff among young women. we need to encourage them to go on studying. delighted to see that the

prime minister is wearing his badge today. will he also today, personally to put an end to the scandal a visits for the dedicated home cares to look after people with dementia in our country? praise the right honorable lady for her work on dementia. on the issue of 15 minute working times, this is an issue for local councils. my own local counsel has decided to stop these 50 minute visits because he don't believe you can get any meaningful work done. where the first government to have a proper review in 20 hours contracts. unhappy about those with exclusivity clauses which do not allow you to work elsewhere.

sure thatnt to make our care system has got people inside it that are really caring and understanding about the problems of dementia. she and i have both been through the very short dementia training course. i don't know about her, but i think i am ready for a refresher. >> with 1.3% growth in manufacturing last quarter and some strong performances from industries in my region, does the prime minister agree with me that one key element of the long-term economic land is actually the need to improve and further strengthen our skills areas canat these continue to grow for britain and generate exports. a key part of the long-term plan is the rebalancing of our economy away from the southeast and towards manufacturing

exports and investment. i know he has been playing his part by running a festival for manufacturing and engineering. i think this is really important. is one of the things we have to do, inspire a new generation to think of these careers and think of the subjects they should be studying in schools and university to open up these careers for them. --last thursday, the hundreds of businesses will suffer millions of pounds of losses. there is no consultation at no hope of british ministers. be having hiswill first conversations with canadian prime minister. we do his best to reverse his balance so to keep the special relationship with india. we want to have our delicious mangoes once again. >> i know how much the right honorable gentleman cares. so much so that he delivered a

tray of this fruit. this is a very serious issue. the european commission has to look on the basis of the science and the evidence. there are concerns about particular cross-contamination in terms of british crops and british interests. we have to make sure that that is got right. i understand how strongly he feels, how strongly indian community in this country feels. i look forward to discussing it with the new prime minister. will the prime minister join me in congratulating the world's largest furniture manufacturer under decision to locate the fact. -- locate their factory here. will the prime minister also pay tribute to local businesses have created jobs and reduced the number of charity claimants in

warwick and -- by 54%? >> i congratulate my right honorable friend for the decline of unemployment in his district. it is notable what he says about furniture factories, because these are the sort of businesses that are were going offshore. i want to encourage this slow trend of bringing businesses back to britain, investing and expanding in britain. we must do everything we can to encourage us, whether it is keeping taxes down, keeping national insurance down, cutting national insurance for young people, training warm -- training more apprentices. constituents son has recently returned from serving our country and afghanistan. as a prime minister think is right that she has to pay the bedroom tax to keep a room

for him when he is at home? >> let me look at this individual case. we made a specific exemption for people who are serving overseas in terms of the spare room subsidy. if the extension does not apply, there is a provision of the discretionary housing payments, which is another way of dealing with this. i would hope that this council would take up that offer. at my request, we are concerned about others. the prime minister will be aware that the service sector grew at its fastest level this with the ensuing creation of jobs. does he agree with me that this

demonstrates that we must stick with the long-term economic plan . i trust my right honorable friend has enough time to answer the question. can i say that he is absolutely right? we must stick to the long-term economic plan and deliver it . this plan shows if you stick it anything, you can win. >> the prime minister will know that recently, it is common to the public -- that over 365 people in northern ireland were given the royal prerogatives of mercy. can you give a commitment that these men -- that these names will be made public?

time toueen took the sign 365 names, certainly the public, especially the victims, have the right to know. there were difficult decisions that were taken, principally by the last government at the time of the didous agreements, that involve her difficult choices, hard choices that had to be made in order to try and build a platform for peace and reconciliation areas i'm happy to look at the specific points she says and see if there's anything i can do to reassure her in a letter. i don't want to try to on pick decisions that were taken a difficult time to try to give us a peace that we enjoy today. >> the chief medical officer warned last month that we are to such antibiotics degree that we would return to status of the 19th century.

we are apparently hurdling towards a post-antibiotics age. >> my honorable friend raises an extremely serious problem that is global in its nature and could have unbelievable that consequences in terms of and try microbial resistance leading to quite minor ailments not being properly treatable. one of the problems is the current ways that research is done by pharmaceutical companies is not necessarily bringing forward new antibiotics in the ways that we need, or solving this problem. i've met with the chief medical officer to discuss this. it was -- there are a number of steps we can take. i hope to be saying something about it soon. yesterday, the secretary of state for business innovation and skills said